More Orange County schools get local cops for security

Officials respond to requests

Chester — Some Orange County schools will begin to see an increased police presence — a response to requests for local police to beef up security in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings.

Comment

By JOHN SULLIVAN

recordonline.com

By JOHN SULLIVAN

Posted Jan. 8, 2013 at 2:00 AM

By JOHN SULLIVAN
Posted Jan. 8, 2013 at 2:00 AM

» Social News

Chester — Some Orange County schools will begin to see an increased police presence — a response to requests for local police to beef up security in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings.

Chester Supervisor Steve Neuhaus said his town's police department began Monday to increase officer presence at Chester Academy and the district elementary school, following discussions with Schools Superintendent Sean Michel.

Neuhaus declined to reveal details of the police presence for security reasons, as that might compromise security.

The new arrangement does not increase town costs for police services and won't require payment by the district to the municipality, though that could change, he said.

"If the schools begin taking too much in terms of patrols, then we'd have to talk about the financial situation," Neuhaus said.

Town police had contracted with Chester schools to keep a school resource officer at Chester Academy until 2011, when the district opted not to renew the contract because of budget cuts.

Michel said he began discussing increased police presence with Neuhaus immediately after the shootings in Newtown, Conn., killed 26 people at Sandy Hook School.

Those talks took center stage after a disturbed Chester Academy student was arrested Dec. 18, charged with threatening to bring a machine gun to school.

Michel was one of several school superintendents who met with Orange County Executive Ed Diana, Orange-Ulster BOCES chief Terry Olivo and other officials Dec. 27 to discuss ways to improve school security in Orange County.

The meeting was held a week after National Rifle Association executive Wayne LaPierre's call for more armed police at schools.

One result of the meeting was the county's decision to return sheriff's deputies to the Orange-Ulster BOCES campus on Gibson Road in Goshen.

After the county meeting, Michel sent a letter to Neuhaus, asking for more police presence.

Neuhaus said he agreed with the need for an armed police presence at every school, but added that such a presence would likely require more funding. The cost of one full-time police officer is $75,000 plus benefits, he noted in an email sent to the Times Herald-Record.

Washingtonville Superintendent Roberta Greene, who also attended the meeting, has made a similar request to her village police, according to Police Chief Stephen Bogert. Bogert said he would be bringing the matter up Monday with the Village Board.